11/27/707/2/957/2/71 - the Closing of the Fillmore West. I listened to my bootleg lps scores of times in high school and college - each time wondering what the energy in that room was like. The recordings just crackle with excitement and the sound is very present. I still listen to it frequently now on cd. I even listened to some of it last night from Promised Land through Big Boss Man. And even last night I was thinking if I could be transported back to any Dead show, this would be the one.

Hey snow_and_rain, I'm off to a doctor appointment now, but quickly - I was 15, tagged along with my older cousins. The Syndrome was old and dirty. The show seemed really long - Dead, NRPS and there might have been a third band opening - not sure???? I remember Pig doing some long rap - he was a strong presence. More folk and country like tunes than i was expecting. It was a long time ago . . . more later.

Comments The New Riders opened this show. The first Dead set opened with the Jam into Casey Jones. There was an acoustic set or acoustic segment of the show, possibly involving Mountains Of The Moon or perhaps Rosemary.

Recordings no tape in circulation 10/00

EDIT: Just where is Chicago, NY anyway? Perhaps he meant, "Chicago, New York, Detroit.."?

So I'm not the only one that lurks around here that never got to see them?

First show: 4/26/72 (Sort of... first live show I had/bought and I recall listening and being floored by China -> Rider and Lovelight -> GDTRFB even if these aren't truly classic versions, but it dawned on me the heights they could achieve)

Favorite is way too tough (Note I'm on a heavy DS binge right now) so maybe, 2/18/71: Beautiful Jam and the newness of the new songs...

Been bouncing around between 67, 68 (Viola!), 73 and 74 (DS, Here Comes Sunshine, and Feelin' Groovy China Riders!)recently but can't decide on a favorite. I had been a staunch 72'er then a 77'er and then 69.... just too much good stuff and too much variety... [pulls hair out]

Nice! I actually saw them at Deer Creek the night after that year, me and my buddy went - our 1st "Dead" show, I remember only knowing a couple dozen tunes at that time, and there being lots of drugs. My buddy phished out doing some really potent mushrooms and waaay too many nitrous balloons!

And to answer your earlier question, I was supposed to go to the '09 shows at Allstate arena but my finals schedule conflicted with those dates. Ended up seeing 'em later that summer at Rothbury. My same buddy went to that show, and got harassed and searched HARD by a Il state trooper at a toll booth!

Edit- ok I think you were actually talking about Furthur. I've actually never seen them believe it or not, but I'd like to sometime. They get some negative feedback at this forum but I'd still like to decide for myself. Here's my e-mail: goose31285@yahoo.com. Lets for sure hit up the Jazz Estate sometime I haven't been there in quite a while.

Yea those 2004 shows were a blast. One of the best nights of my life. Shrooms and a lot of people scares me.

Is your buddy a big Wook? ahah

I did see the dead in 2009 at all state. I thought it was decent. Left disapointed by the lack of phil bombs and tremors. Though there were certainly highlights.

And yea you should see furthur (if they would could around!!!!). My buddy and I really enjoyed the shows. Certainly a bit better than going to see The Dead. I wonder what it would be like with just Billy K on the drums......

Ill hit ya up about the jazz estate for sure. Could very well be going tomorrow night.

Well, he does have dreadlocks, haha, but a very legit job, so not exactly. Although I have messed with him about it before. Which is ridiculous because I have them too and I've been unemployed for about 6 months!

I've been traveling a lot this summer, not anywhere too exciting, but I haven't been in Mil much on the weekends. In a few weeks when school starts up again, I'll be here all the time. But I'm down for sure; last time I was there Stealin' Strings played a pretty killer set. Ever heard of 'em? They're from Cedarburg I think...

yea I've heard of them but don't know much about them. Like I've talked with you about before, i'm not fond of the scene so I typically stray from anything of the like. Which is why I prefer the weekends there. And the music is much better, well, IMO.

My short hair and relatively "square" look might throw ya off hah.

Might I just add... was at a bar last night and immediately got hassled about looking so young and about how Im the guy with the drugs. I said hey just because I wear a grateful dead shirt doesnt mean I'm a druggie. Then the guy goes "grateful dead!, come over here" then I respond ya me and my buds were jamming out to a killer morning dew on the way here. He gave me a idk wtf you're talking about look and then I walked away. This is the story of my life when talking to "grateful dead fans"

Very tough to pick a dream show. Lots of interesting possibilities going back to the Acid Tests, but because 1970 really puts so many elements together at a really good time (especially for Jerry) any one of these would do:5/7/706/24/709/20/7011/8/70

First: March '81 London (I think it was 1981-03-24, maybe 1981-03-23);

Last: 1981-10-06 London (Blues For Allah jam included);

Dream: 1974-10-19 Hmmm, could I hear the Wall Of Sound, please? And the most wonderful "Eyes Of The World"? The "farewell tour" part would be a downer, but as a time-traveller I'd let it be known there would be more to come!

I was not interested at the time. I was just familiar with their radio stuff like Touch of Grey, and after seeing some godawful show with Throwing Stones>NFA on TV, I knew this band was just horrible and I wouldn't listen to them for years.

btw - Thank you for your recent and very cogent analysis of the later-era Dead. Like the poster who replied to you at the time, you really helped me clarify how I feel about it. There might be some impressive playing going on by some incredibly talented people, but the overall sound just doesn't do it for me. The only things I keep in regular rotation from the 90's are the Branford and Ornette Coleman shows.

By contrast, the 1979-82 version of the band that I do love sounds downright lean and hungry.

Dream show: well, instinctively I should pick something from 1969, like 2/28 or 4/22 or 5/31, but I think I'm going to have to go with my all-time favorite show here - 8/27/72. The historical value, the heat, the nudity, and well, it just being about the greatest goddamn show the boys ever did!

Tell,I've been reading Blair Jackson's book on Garcia. I just went past the mid 70s and it made mention of 9/28/75 show. It mentioned that the show wasn't announce til day of. How did you hear about it at the time. Just curious how the grapevine functioned at that point in time. Were you living right in SF, or did you have to travel in from someplace outside the city??

Was roadie for HS DEAD cover band...had a gig that Sat night before; it was a Sunday...someone brought word to the little "club" and we all decided to go. It was "rumor" but we acted on it, and yes, East Bay, so we knew the right people, got lucky, whatever. When we arrived to see 50k we knew we'd been right to come. My brother lived in Alaska at the time, had come down for a weekend, but not come "home", and we found out a few yrs later we were both there.

have you ever spotted yourself in the DVD of that run? I have a friend who I see in it. She's seen right after the lady in overall's and scarf, who's cupping her hands and yellin "whoooo-hooooo!" The spaced out blond sitting and trippin - Ruthie (now a FB Friend)

No; nor ANY of the 20 or so I "knew" at it, and were at ALL the shows! We often sat in the upper seats, where sound was good at opposite end, then went to floor in second set, so rarely made it to the "front"...

I'm so not into dates this is going to bug you guys. The first, Fillmore East where I did a rambling post on how I just didn't get the way they came back into a song after a space and or jam and asked quizzically didn't they play that song a half an hour ago?2nd-- roll out of WOS Cow Palace not the New Years show I believe March 74'Dream --Dead and The Who Oakland/Alameda Stadium.For the line-up alone.

First: 11/16/78Last: 12/3/92Dream ... oh geez. Probably '69, but I'd have to think which one and get back to the fairy godmother. (Decisions decisions.) Whereas I've often regretted missing 11/30 and 12/1/79, since I saw the string of shows after it and often wish I'd just started in Pittsburgh ... consequently that come to mind immediately as my Dream Show duo. At least as a stop on the way back to the '60s :-)

First: 8/7/82 (Grew up to be a Dick's Picks, although maybe the worse one)Last: 6/19/93. Should also mention Furthur 3/2/10.Dream: Something from '68-'70 when they were playing small venues and a good deal of the crowd was on acid, or something from the Europe '72 tour.

first: 3/27/94 (Dew)last: 10/14/94 (S>F)dream: either 6/24/70 or any of the Nov 70 Capitol Theater shows -- I grew up a couple miles away, saw a few shows there when I was a kid, and can only imagine what a scene it must have been in 1970...

First show, 8/6/67 (They opened for Jefferson Airplane, and I had never heard of them before the show.)Last show, 1/18/79 (Lost interest in the band shortly thereafter.)Dream show, almost any show in-between, as those were the only shows I attended.

First: 9/25/70 at Pasadena CCLast: 12/10/89 at The Fabulous ForumDream: 8/6/71 at Hollywood Palladium. Heck, I could have, but I was a goof and said 'I just saw them less than a year ago!' I got smarter.

I had tickets to 9/2/78 Giant's Stadium, but wisely elected to blow the show off to catch some swells from Hurricane Ella.

First 1/8/79Last 3/29/90

Had tickets to 10/27/90 and woke up that morning in Paris, but didn't go to the show. No regrets. It would have been very cool to see a show in Europe, but I love the aesthetic of the Branford show as my very last.

Yeah sadly Cliff that would be one of he best shows I saw.I think you and I living on LI and going at about the same time probably have a lot of shows in common,I've noticed you mention a number of shows I attended,and we share a similar opinion on the music.I know you like the Cape Cod shows and they are amongst my fondest memories,I don't recall going to a show after that where you could just walk up pretty close to the stage,relatively unmolested.It was a small place only 3/4 full,it must have been the out of the way factor keeping the crowd down.

I didn't attend the Cape Cod shows. I wish that I had, but I doubt that my parents would have let me make a road trip like that as a high school sophmore. My first ever road trip was up to Ithaca on 5/16/81.

I'm sure we both attended plenty of the same shows during the 1980's at Nassau, MSG, Brendan Byrne Arena, Hampton, etc, etc...

Yeah it would be nice to meet you and some of the other forum folks,I will keep my eyes open as the fall closes in.I have some physical issues in play elbow,catching a fish like the one in the picture might just finish me off.

Unfortunately due to a commitment in Atlanta i can't get out of that is the same time as my conference on LI, I won't be making that trip. I'll need to come up with another excuse to visit. Alternatively maybe I can meet you down on Key Largo again next winter. I still have to make an occasional trip to Miami and i have plenty of places to stay down there.

where at on long island? i kinda assumed you were from the florida area with some of your posts. where is your boat? ocean temp in jersey is over 80 degrees so all kinds of strange things being pulled out of the suds.

I do spend some time fishing in Florida (Key Largo) during the Winter, but live in Hampton Bays on Long Island. Water temps are not THAT warm here yet, mid to upper 70's in the ocean. But another warm core eddy is spinning in from the gulf stream.

have a place in south jersey cape may county. fishing is kinda slow this time of year croaker, snappers and flounder 1/2 an inch too short :} Also do a lot of fishing in belmar as its only a 45 minute ride and better fishing most of the time. cant wait til sep-dec. for the stripers to be back.

The black drum in delaware bay in the spring are a site to see and hear.I gave up the boat in 2008 cause of the gas prices so im mostly either on the beach or the kayak. belmar is good for this type of fishing because a majority of the beach there has a nice steep drop off while the wildwood area where my place is has more of a flat beach with a gradual drop off. I know there are some mahi etc. relatively close to the beach 3 miles or so. also cobia are being caught im sure this month more of the tropical type fish will show up. you never know what your gonna get at this time of year.

I don't about how many tickets were sold,but the place was 3/4 full,if you were there you would know that,anyway,anybody who was there feel free to chime in.We drove there straight from the New Haven show and got tickets easily for both nights for four people.

1st: 6.23.90Last: 5.28.95Dream: 8.27.72 - Because it's at Veneta and one of those magical shows. At the time I just turned 2 and was living an hour and a half away, probably munching on Play-Doh. Nowdays I take the family to Veneta every year to the Oregon Country Fair. This year we saw 7 Walkers at the Main Stage. Good times. - 11.11.73 would be another top candidate.

First: 3/30/87, Phila PA. 17 years old, I was happy they played Truckin' and Box of Rain because American Beauty was the only album/recording I had of the Dead at the time.

Last: 5/21/95, Las Vegas NV. In retrospect I was sorry I didn't try to attend any of the later east coast summer shows that were closer to home for me, but even though I had a lot of fun in Vegas for this three show run I was not inspired to head out and see any more at the time.

Dream show: 6/7/69, Fillmore West I would have loved to have seen Janis play with the boys

First: 10/14/76 Shrine, LALast : 12/18/94 LA sports Arena ( last song was "Baby Blue" !).Dream : I think I am with Cliff with 2/27/69 for the Dark Star .Also, I never saw the Psychedelic Dead, or them with Pig .Or 5/11/72 , the Dark Star , again, or a "Wall of Sound " show,etc..

6/8/94 1st and last show. I was so wasted I don't remember much of anything. The only thing I do remember is sitting in a tunnel and some guy saying, "you guys are missing it" and I told him I was too loaded to move. I didn't know what to expect from a Dead show and I indulged in too much parking lot activity beforehand.